Animal-related cruelty to be criminalized in Armenia

ArmInfo. Animal cruelty will be criminalized in Armenia. At its September 16 sitting, the RA National Assembly introduced the corresponding amendments to the
Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses.

According to one of the authors of the presented package, MP from the Prosperous
Armenia faction Naira Zohrabyan, minor fines are currently applied
for cruelty to animals. Current legislation provides only a fine of
30-50 times or 100-150 times the minimum wage for cruelty to animals,
however, the amount was either not levied or this measure does not
have the necessary effect. According to the police, no person has yet
to be held liable fine.

The deputy noted that the faction proposes to amend the Criminal Code
and add an article - "Cruelty to animals", as well as list all
possible methods of torturing animals and depriving them of their
lives so that there are no gaps for criminal prosecution. "Any person
who has committed violent acts against wild and domestic animals,
such as violent death, improper upkeep, bullying, self-harm,
experimentation, bullying, use for comfort, should be held criminally
liable," she said. In this regard, it is proposed to introduce fines
of one hundred or three hundred times the established minimum wage,
or arrest for a period of 1 to 3 months, or imprisonment for a
maximum of 1 year. "For a similar act committed by a group of
persons, a group of persons by prior conspiracy or an organized
group, shall be punished by a fine of three hundred or five hundred
times the established minimum wage or by imprisonment for a period
of 1 to 3 years," she explained.

She also noted that the project also established a distinction
between the concepts of "domestic" and "homeless" animals. "Home
animals are kept at home, and homeless people are not wild animals,
these are animals that have no owners," N. Zohrabyan explained,
adding that the law does not apply to ritual sacrifices (mats).
"Investigating authorities and experts they will have to check
whether the death of the animal is a consequence of protection or the
result of livelihood and intentional harm, "she said.